For Kazakhstan the international projects of UN, UNWTO and UNESCO on the revival of tourism on the Silk Road are mutually enriching dialogue between the cultures of East and West and a unique opportunity for sustainable development of tourism and recreational resources and tourism industry. In the article authors claim, that the Great Silk Road is the connecting link of the tourism and economy development, the social and cultural reforming all countries — participants of the project. National tourism product «Silk Road — Kazakhstan» and the distinctive cultural heritage in its Kazakhstan territory — should be attractive tourism brand of a country and ensure the development of international tourism.
Kazakhstan as a country — member of the transcontinental UN, UNWTO and UNESCO’s project «tourism revival on the ancient and historical route of the Silk Road is situated in the heart of the Eurasia on the crossroads of the caravan routes. Being on the junction of the two continents — Europe and Asia, the Republic takes according to its square the 4th place in Eurasia after the Russia, China and India and the 9th place in the world. The Great Silk Road is the connecting link of the tourism and economy development, the social and cultural reforming all countries — participants of the project.
Especially its prospects grew in this century and identified by UN as the Tourism Century. According to the WTO’s researches today in the world the every seventh workplace accounted for tourist field. Herewith the price of the one tourism work place is significantly lower than in other economic fields. Tourism is interconnected (in different countries) with 52–59 economic fields. In 2010 the tourism income growth in the world was 7 %, and at present its main part shifts to the Asian countries [1]. According to the International Tourism Barometer’s data of UNWTO in 2011 the number of international tourist arrivals raised for more than 4 % and was 981 million person.
During the 19th General Assembly in Gyeongju (Republic of Korea) the UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai presented the White Book, and there he noted that: «Tourism: Prospects 2030» — tourism field posses with the huge growth potential and to the 2030 the number of International Tourists income will reach billion» [2].
Considering that never before such huge number of people did not visit so many places and did not face with other cultures, the role of tourism and different world cultures demand for tourists undeniably increases. Last year even the World Tourism Day’s theme was «Tourism joins cultures» and it was the UNWTO’s choice to open the role of tourism in uniting the different world cultures with the help of travel. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in his address to the world tourist community urged during the travelling to communicate with other cultures and to celebrate the people’s diversity, giving the tribute to the tourism as the factor that assist for the forming more tolerant, open and unique world [3]. In this connection cultural and historical legacy of the international transcontinental project on the tourism revival on the Great Silk Road hold in itself the huge geopolitical potential, it is very relevant for our country and for its Kazakhstan’s part as the connecting link of the ancient caravan road between Europe and Asia.
It is not occasionally that from the time of reaching the independency by Kazakhstan the head of the state Nursultan Nazarbayev pays special attention to the development of this project. In 1997 there was accepted the President’s Order «about realization of the Turkic lingual state leaders’ declaration, the project of UNESCO and WTO on developing the tourism infrastructure on the Great Silk Road in the Republic of Kazakhstan». There initiated the State program «Revival of the historical Silk Road centers, saving and successive development of Turkic lingual states cultural legacy, creating the tourism infrastructure» and also was established the National company «Silk Road — Kazakhstan». For the short period it managed to refurbish the significant part of the unique architecture complexes that saved during centuries the Turkic lingual peoples’ nomadic traditions. With the participation of UNWTO in 1999 the Almaty was held the first international workshop for the tour operators on Silk Road. In 2000 was international festival «Silk Road»… For Kazakhstan the international project «Great Silk Road» — is not just road of the dealings, it is the dialogue between cultures of West and East. It is connected with the art, culture and science renaissance of the Turkic world. It is the main reason of the inexhaustible interest and attractiveness of the tourist product, backed with abundance of cultural, historical objects, artifacts and history memorials on the ancient caravan road. The World Culture is enriched with such values and historical findings of Kazakhstan’s scientists as «Golden Man» and rock paintings in the Tamgaly tract, royal burials in Berele and with the place of worshiping by the Turkic lingual people — the mausoleum Khoja Ahmat Yаssawi.
There was found enough artifacts, which confirm that Great Silk Road as the trade route did not limited with the south Kazakhstan regions. It was not as the something that set and constant. 16 Kimaks cities were situated on the Irtish riversides, and their histories are also the traces of the Great Road. On the dust caravan roads carried not only the silk and precious stones, spices and dyes, exotic southern birds and beasts. In our point of view one of the Silk Road’s greatest achievements was arrival of paper making from China to the Turkic states. Turkic thinkers left invaluable legacy for all word, among them the 2nd teacher of mankind Abu Nasir Al Farabi. The Silk Road connected with links the ways of his hometown Otrar and Damask, where our great countryman found his last shelter on the earth. Hundreds of cities that wiped out from earth due to the time or by existing nowadays help to understand and open the genuine greatness of the Silk Road…
Interaction and mutual enrichment of cultures — settled and nomadic — were the main line of the world progress. In the depths of this synthesis lie many civilization’s achievements that were created by the Kazakhstan and Central Asia people. So in VI–III century B.C. on the territory of Kazakhstan inhabited the nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes of Saks, high culture of which are known for unearthing numerous burial mounds among which Beshatir, Issik, Tegisken, Uigarak.
These tribes did not have the passive side in the Silk Road development. In the 2nd half of the VI century a great influence in these processes gets the great nomadic empire — Turkic Khaganate. Already in VII century reports about dozens of cities. Most major cities were Suyab, Taraz and city on the «white river», later named as Isphidzhab. In the Chinese road builders VII–VIII centuries and Arab way builders VIII–XII centuries lists already dozens of cities that situated on the Silk Road. The Silk Road which went through Central Asis, South Kazakhstan and Seven Rivers functioned until XIV century.
Today the forming of the tourism industry identified by the Kazakhstan Government as the one of the priority fields of economy among the seven cluster initiatives. In the state and sectoral programs — development of the cultural and cognitive tourism on the Great Silk Road is its most important component. In June 2008 during the Public Council’s enlarged meeting on realization the program «cultural legacy» the President of Republic of Kazakhstan gave the order to the Government, ministries and agencies with joint efforts to provide the restoration of historical, cultural and architectural monuments. On the second stage of program «cultural legacy» to draft the master plan for the development of tourism infrastructure in the Kazakhstan section of the Silk Road on the transport way «West Europe — West China». Considering the «Great Silk Road» project’s development through the prism of the International Scientific and Practical Conference «Cultural legacy and tourist areas», we believe that its successful realization will depend on cooperation of all interested organizations and countries — partners of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
With this aim in Kazakhstan with the support of UNWTO investigated the country’s tourism potential cultural legacy of historical and cultural sites of the Kazakhstan’s part in Silk To the list of the UNESCO’s World Legacy sites in Silk Road countries were included: in 2003 the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum in Turkestan (South Kazakhstan), in 2004 the archeological landscape Tamgaly’s ancient paintings (petroglyphs) (170 km to north-west from Almaty city and situated in south-east part of Chi-Ili mountains) [4].
We intend to continue this work and include the 31 sites of history and archeology to the list of UNESCO’s World Legacy sites with the nomination «Great Silk Road». Also among the nominees were eight sites of Semirechensk’s Silk Road part: the Antonovka settlement — medieval Kaylak, Talgar, Karamergen, Aktobe Stepninskoe, Ornek, Kulan, Kostobe and archeological complex Akyrtas.
In Syrdara part: settlements as Zhauntobe, Karaspantobe, Kultobe, Turkestan, Sidak, Sygnak, Sauran (Sauran archeological complex), Zhankala (Zhend), Zhankent, Kuyuk-Kesken kala, Chirik-Rabat, Babishmulla. To this list also added the Borizhary cemetery, Otrar and Zhetiasar oases’ monuments, Balanda settlement.
Bozok settlement is the unique site from nominees which locates on the Silk Road’s Sariarka part.
To Mangishlak or Ural-Caspian part were entered the Kizilalka, Zhaik and Saraishik’s settlements.
The last category of monuments-nominees for including to the UNESCO’s list is the necropolises Boralday, Issyk and Besshatyr. Totally to the UNESCO’s sites prelist were included eight history and cultural monuments. Among them Yassi-Turkestan, Turkic sanctuary Merke, megalithic monuments of BegaziDandibaev culture. The World Legacy center also included to the prelist the mounds with stone ridges of Tasmolian culture, Eshki-Olmes and Arpa-Uzen petroglyphs, Paleolithic and geomorphologic Karatu complex, monument of Otrar oasis and historical and cultural Ulutau landscape [5].
The scientists put these monuments along side with the best samples of world culture. These monuments of legendary Silk Road enter to the Kazakhstan and international tourist route system became widely available and recognizable. Today the architectural legacies of ancient Otrar, Sauran, Turkestan settlements attract to the country many researchers: scientists, archeologists and tourists from all over the world.
The Great Silk Road also has played the invaluable historical role in culture integration of many countries. In this process participated the nations lived long ago on the Kazakhstan territory. They have made their great contribution to the world civilization’s treasury. This unique culture of the home (yurt), the ancient masters’ art, which created the colorful carpets and the jewelries made from precious metals, making up the music, stories and legends. They became significant both for Kazakhstan and for the whole civilization. And how many other equally unique discoveries were made in the great Kazakh steppe!
Beginning from 2000 the National tourist Kazakhstan administration intensified its cooperation with the World Tourism Organization on forming the positive countries’ tourist image, international tourism contacts development, hosting joint activities and promoting domestic tourist product «Silk Road — Kazakhstan». The period from 2 to 4 September 2008, in Almaty were held the III Forum of the «Silk Road» city Mayors with the theme «The New Silk Road»: from the great traditions to the modern tourism standards and cooperation», in which took part the city mayors, government representatives, international organization leaders and business communities from 27 countries. The aim of the Forum hosting was further integration development between cities, promoting innovative ways of program financing on Silk Road countries’ sustainable tourism development, improvement of mutual understanding between people and these regions’ harmonious development [6].
In October 2009 in new Kazakhstan capital Astana city was successfully hosted the XVIII session of World Tourism Organization’s General Assembly. According to WTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai and international authorities experts opinion the XVIII session has surpassed all previous ones due to its representativeness, effectiveness, and the importance of the decisions taken. The head of delegation from France, Ital, Hungary, Croatia and other counties highlighted that 18th General Assembly became really epochal event in the world tourism, during which have been taken important political decisions on sustainable tourism development and its potential contribution to the stabilization of the world economy. One of the key issues considered during the Assembly became «new Kazakhstan’s initiatives about tourism reviving on the Great Silk Road» and accepted the Astana declaration that has the important strategic meaning not only for Kazakhstan but for the world tourist community [7]. Due to peace, tolerance, inter-ethnic harmony and political stability in the country, the foreign visitors and tourists can come to us for resting, meeting with wonderful people, for introducing with its traditions, with is rich and unique culture, magnificent sights: the objects of history, architecture and unique natural monuments.
At present in the frame of State Program accelerated industrial and innovative development, sustainable tourism development, establishment of infrastructure and construction of tourist facilities on «Silk Road» put in separate section. All this will contribute to the growth of main domestic and international tourism’s indicators. We are convinced that the Silk Road is the one of the best world level brands and opens great opportunities for tourism activity of any state.
Today the Great Silk Road links us with ancient turns into route of many more active contacts with all world regions. Supporting the idea of UN General Assembly on reviving the ancient route as an essential tool for enhanced cooperation in the field of culture, science, trade and tourism and of course development of mutual understanding between our countries’ people we form the specific projects on tourism infrastructure development. In particular on the Kazakhstan part of Silk Road the more advanced projects in the south are:
- in Almaty region it is the establishment of the international tourist center on the Kapchagai sea’s coast «Zhana — Ile» entered into a map of breakthrough projects in industrial and innovative development of the country;
- in South-Kazakhstan district is planned to develop thе attractive for tourists cultural and educational facilities. The Otrar region of South-Kazakhstan district provides for the establishment of the Otrar oasis’s ethnographic complex, historical and cultural museum and park of archaeological In the city of Turkestan would be built «pilgrims’ village», hotel, hospitality school, folk arts and crafts’ school, historical and cultural complexes.
In Akmola district (northern Kazakhstan) already has been established the free economic zone (SEZ) and there is making the construction of international tourist center «Burabai». On the west branch of Kazakhstan’s part in Silk Road in the Mangistau region on the Caspian Sea’s coast are taking the first steps of construction the city of new millennium Aktau — city. In addition on the Caspain Sea’s coast by the decision of Kazakhstan’ government is planned to create an international tourist center «Kenderli». On our initiatives and with the agreement of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan is analyzing the issue about organization the international cruise «Caspian is sea of friendship». The implementations of these projects seeks involving tens of billions dollars investments.
Today we have many proposals for fascinating tourist travel on ancient caravan route. For example some of them: it is the route from the southern capital Almaty city to Baikonur (through Shymkent — Otrar settlement — Arystanbab mausoleum — Turkestan city with visiting the Kodja Akhed Yasawi mausoleum settlements — Sauran castle to Kyzylorda city — visiting the «Korkyt — Ata» memorial — Baikonur city with excursion to the first space harbor land — Baikonur Cosmodrome).
From 2003 ia acting the specialized tourist train «Pearl of Silk Road» which going through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. This route is intended to make longer to the west till the Iran, and to the east till China. All abovementioned tourism development projects on the Silk Road are in demand and prospective.
At present Kazakhstan has all conditions for the inflow of foreign and domestic investment to the tourism industry development on the basis of public-private partnership, supporting and promoting the private initiatives’ development. The 5th UNWTO International Meeting «Silk Road» in October, 2010 was devoted for comprehensive discussion of abovementioned issues. This meeting was held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) with representatives from 25 countries. The outcome of the meeting as a basis for further tourism’s development on the ancient historical route was adopting the «Action Plan for the implementation of the international Silk Road Project in 2010 to 2011». There were worked out the recommendations regarding the collaboration and cooperation of all Silk Road countries strengthening the brand «Silk Road», resources’ uniting, and elimination of political barriers, simplifying the visa and border formalities between the countries — participants of the project.
According to the accepted Action Plan in the frame of International Tourism Exhibit WTM 2010 in London has held the «media Silk Road market» in which took part the Kazakhstan and the Central Asian, Europe and Middle East countries and leading foreign tour operators.
The Silk Road is one of the world level best brands, along the route’s tourism resources planning and its controlled development are essential to the conservation and restoration of the world cultural legacy for countries on the ancient historical route.
Today still remain significant interference for closer economic cooperation in Central Asian region. First of all it is visa problems; unfortunately till today there is no consensus on the issue of mutual recognition for third country nationals’ tourist visas. And it is this question would help to raise the tourism on the Silk Road through the development and promotion of joint tourist routes. For the successful promotion of the project on the Silk Road, we consider as important:
Firstly — to implement the Astana Declaration «Silk Road» recommendations accepted during the XVIII WTO General Assembly. Secondly — to National Tourism Administrations jointly with mayors to consider a proposal to introduce a single tourist visa «Silk Road». This will enable tourists for visiting several Great Silk Road countries at once. Kazakhstan came out and will be for this proposal’s implementation in the medium term, as the modern potential tourist is interested in visiting several countries in the frame of Silk Road tours, preferably one tourist visa for up to 3 months and accepted in the visit countries. Thirdly
- countries participants of the «Silk Road» project to establish uniform standards of services and tourist services on all types of transport and hotel accommodations. Fourthly — the National Tourism Administration to consider creating a single tourism product for the Great Silk Road Fifthly — to develop the Silk Road’s potential attractiveness, which includes the following:
- restoration of cultural sites and historical monuments in the ancient caravan route;
- the development of arts and crafts in order to preserve the rich cultural legacy of the Silk Road countries;
- development, implementation and promotion of joint strategies, programs and marketing for the successful project’s advancement;
- development and improvement of Central Asian region and the CIS countries tourist image on Great Silk Road developing the cultural and educational The measures taken will help to the local communities in the development of inter-cultural dialogue, will participate in the processes associated with the opening of tourism opportunities and enjoyment of these benefits, and therefore UN, UNWTO and UNESCO’s successful implementation of transcontinental project on sustainable tourism development in the ancient, historic route of the Great Silk Road.
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References
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